Monday, April 28, 2008

The Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico

Hola!I am now in Tulum- I have been here 2 days now. Tulum is a beach resort on the Caribbean coast, famous for its ruins which overlook the ocean. Its a bit more laid back than Cancun (and slighly less touristy).I spent 3 days in Cancun which, despite its reputation for being completely taken over by bum-bag weilding overweight Americans who spend their time between all-you-can-eat-and-drink resorts and the beach, I did see a different side of it in Downtown Cancun. Downtown Cancun has a great buzz about it, and much to my liking it retains uneven sidewalks and rickety taco stands. I stayed in a hostel which was more like a Mexican home, complete with garden courtyard and maid who cooked us Cactus omelettes in the mornings.While there I went on a day trip to Chichen Itza, one of the most well known Mayan ruins. On the way there we passed tequila farms and Mayan villages, which have actually retained their traditions and many still sleep in hammocks in mud huts amongst the trees. Chichen Itza was well worth seeing, although I was on a tour with middle aged all-you-can-eat-and-drink tourists, who spent the majority of the tour getting drunk at a hotel nearby.The ruins at Tulum have been the highlight of my trip so far, along with the food, which is incredibly cheap and delicious. Yesterday I tried fresh mango with lime juice and chile powder from a street stall. I havent had food poisoning yet- touch wood.I'm leaving for Belize within the next couple of days, probably stopping off in Chetumal, a border town.AdiosHelen

About Me

I'm experiencing the world... one hot dog at a time.
Currently working as the Editor & Travel Writer for Istanbul travel site, MyIstanbulInfo.com and contributing to Hurriyet Daily News with some freelance stuff on the go.